Rob Howley defended his team selection after none of the seven uncapped players in his Wales squad were included.

The coach has made five changes from the side that beat South Africa in the autumn but three of them were enforced by injury with Gethin Jenkins, Dan Lydiate and Luke Charteris all sidelined by knocks.

Nicky Smith won the battle with Rob Evans for Jenkins’ jersey, while former captain Sam Warburton replaces Lydiate (knee) at blindside flanker with Jake Ball in for Charteris (hand) at lock.

The fit-again Rhys Webb ousted Gareth Davies from scrum-half, with Samson Lee returning at tight-head prop with Tomas Francis being demoted to the substitutes.

But none of the uncapped prospects – Steff Evans, Ashton Hewitt, Owen Williams, Aled Davies, Rory Thornton, Thomas Young and Olly Cracknell – have made the match-day 23 for Sunday’s game at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

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“It took a long time to select the team,” insisted Howley, before adding: “We believe this is the best team to start the tournament.

“We are against a very competitive Italian side away from home in the Six Nations. We have gone with a lot of experience.

“We believe the majority of those players – 10 out of those 15 players started the game with South Africa – gave a good account of themselves, from a winning perspective during the autumn period and it’s important we start well, hence the selection.”

Asked if any of the young pretenders had got anywhere being in the match 23 for Italy, he replied: “There was discussions regarding those players who missed out but I think, going into a campaign with Italy first up, we feel we need to start well this time.

“We certainly believe the Six Nations is going to be about momentum and we wanted to pick a rather experienced team to start the tournament.

“I was just thinking back to when we have started tournaments well and achieved momentum. That’s our goal, to go over there and start this tournament well.

“Alun Wyn Jones made a fantastic point to me about the experience of the team, saying it puts pressure on those players who have been selected. We have picked experience but they have to go out and play.

“The side that’s been selected has about a 70% winning ratio in the Six Nations. They know what winning looks and smells like in the Six Nations, and that’s the challenge on Sunday.”